John S. Robinson (governor)

John Staniford Robinson ( born November 10, 1804 in Bennington, Vermont, † April 25, 1860 in Charleston, South Carolina ) was an American politician and 1853-1854 Governor of the State of Vermont.

Early years

John Robinson was the grandson of Moses Robinson, former U.S. Senator and Governor of Vermont. His great-uncle Jonathan Robinson was 1807-1815 also U.S. Senator. Jonathan visited the Williams College until 1824. After a subsequent law degree, he was admitted in 1827 as a lawyer. Then he opened his own office in Bennington, which he ran until his death.

Political rise

John Robinson was a member of the Democratic Party. From 1832 to 1833 he was a member of the House of Representatives of Vermont and 1838-1839 he was a member of the State Senate. His political career has been hampered by the split his party on the issue of slavery. After he had already applied twice unsuccessfully for the office of governor, he was elected by the Legislature to that office in 1853. This was preceded by a regular election in which no candidate had reached the necessary 50 % of votes. Robinson was to remain until 1963, the last Democrat in the governor of Vermont. He was followed by 50 governors of the Republican Party.

Governor of Vermont and other CV

John Robinson began his one-year term on 1 October 1853. His tenure was overshadowed by the nationwide debate over the issue of slavery and the national antagonism between the North and the South. In 1860, Robinson led the delegation from Vermont at the Democratic National Convention in Charleston. There he died on April 25 of a stroke. John Robinson was married to Juliette Robinson. The marriage was childless.